So, here's my horoscope for today:

It feels as if other people were put here to grant your wishes, but it's also a reflection of your own generous spirit and accumulated good karma. A very special gift could come your way now, and you know how you love to get gifts. It could be something big in the material realm -- computer equipment, a digital doohickey you've been hankering for, a gorgeous piece of artwork -- or it could be something intangible but that's even more precious. Enjoy!

Oh, this is one I'd dearly like to be correct. Please, oh great and wonderful Universe, could you see fit to give me the gift of a job? Like the one I interviewed for this morning? Pretty please?

On the plus side, I think I did fairly well in the interview - but then, I seldom think I do badly in interviews, so I'm probably not the best judge. It was, however, probably the least I've talked about myself in an interview; I had a list of questions about the job before I got there, so my interviewee did quite a bit of talking, and when I did speak it was more about the job than it was about me. I hope that bodes well for my chances. I'll know by the end of next week, at any rate.

But hey, I'd be happy to get other gifts. 'Cause one thing the horoscope got right is my fondness towards the gifts.

I think I have a new guilty pleasure when it comes to the TV - but maybe it shouldn't be so guilty. I've gotten sucked into How to Find a Husband on Fine Living.

I'll confess, I thought it was a joke the first time I noticed it on the program listing. But the other day, my Tivo had taped something earlier in the day on Fine Living, so when I turned on the TV the show was on. I cringed a smidge and went to the program guide to find something else to watch. (For those poor people who don't have a Tivo, the program guide comes on over the the current channel, so you still see and hear what's on.) And I got sucked in.

It helps that the gal on the show is Scottish, and it's filmed in London. Me being me, I'll at least pause when there are British accents to be heard. Then I started to realize that this is something that could be helpful for me - you know, she who doesn't know how to date. I'm not saying I'm looking for a husband, but some help in the "how to find a guy and what to do once you've found him" department is most welcome indeed. Plus, I think I really like Sally, the gal who's the subject of the program. I'm not saying she's just like me - she's far more outgoing, which actually makes me feel a bit better since she's a year older than me and still single - but I feel like we could be at least friendly acquaintances if we met in person. There aren't that many people I would say that about who are on "reality" TV shows.

*************************************

One of my best friends from New Zealand is now working for Radio NZ. A couple of days ago she sent me a link to listen to some of the pieces she's done for their morning news program, and I finally got around to listening this morning.

It was such a weird but cool experience. First of all, it's just wonderful to hear her voice, but she sounds so different reading the news. When I emailed her back I told her she sounded so posh! She's very well spoken in real life anyway, and she does have a lovely speaking voice, but she was so... newscaster-ish. And I'm just so proud of her and happy for her, I could spit. (I wouldn't, because I have manners, but I could.)

And today makes it exactly seven months since I came back to Houston. I'm a little freaked out at how much I still miss New Zealand, and Christchurch specifically. I even miss my job there, and that's just unheard of for me. I even checked to see if my employer over there had a job opening in my department, but no luck. Not that I could move at the moment anyway, but I looked anyway.

*************************************

I did a really easy dinner tonight - just a can of salmon and some pasta, with a bit of oil and some spices (I mean, salt, onion powder and granulated garlic) mixed in. Oh, and a few capers, because I loves me some capers. I've done the same sort of thing oodles of times before, but tonight I decided to add a splash of vinegar in with the oil to add another note to it. (Ooh, almost sounds like I know what I'm talking about there, doesn't it?)

Shamefully, I still have vinegars that my dad bought in France when we went there back in 2002. Unopened. I'm a heathen sometimes, I know. Luckily, it's not like they're going to go bad or anything. So I reach in just to see what I happen to come out with. It's a bottle of white truffle vinegar. I added just a touch, since I only wanted to cut the oil a bit, not have pasta that tastes of vinegar.

Holy crap.

It's the tastiest pasta and salmon I've ever had. I'm having to restrain myself from finishing off the whole batch, since I deliberately made enough for tonight and lunch tomorrow. The only thing saving me from making a pig of myself is wondering what it will taste like tomorrow after the flavors have had time to meld some more.

I can't even explain why it's the tastiest of these super-easy, I'm-far-too-lazy-to-cook-a-proper-meal dishes. I think even a balsamic vinegar would have done the trick, but those stupidly expensive fungi are apparently worth what they sell for. Thank goodness a little goes a long way, or so I understand, since I think I'll be looking for even more things to add it to - and then be very, very sad when I run out.

That's all I got folks. May your Monday (or whenever you happen to run across this) not suck.